Accordion



Dec. 4, 1928. 1,693,616

F. NARDONE ACCORDION Filed March 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITAIZ'SSES: INVENTOR:

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I ATTORNEX F. NARDONE ACCORDION Fi1edMarch28,l927 4Sheets-Sheet 3 OOOEI OOOD 000 000m 0001: O0 00 O1:

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F. NARDQNE ACCORDION Filed March 28, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Lgmmmmmmmmummmmmmmmnmmu WITNES SE6; nvmyrox:

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Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

PATENT {)FFICE.

FRANK NARDON E, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ACCORDION.

Application filed March 28, 1927. Serial No. 178,826.

My invention relates to musical instruments having rows of reeds for the production of the musical notes and more particus larly to accordions.

In playing an accordion, advantageous effects may be produced by changing the tonal harmony of the instrument during certain stages of the compositioirbeing played, and the principal object of my invention is to provide means whereby such changes may be easily made by the player.

Another object of my invention is to provide means,.for changing the tonal harmony of an accordion, which may be mounted in the interior of the instrument without in any way interfering with its moving parts.

Still another object of my invention is to so design such mechanism that the same movement of the operating lever will both close and open certain valves.

These objects, and other, advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a front view of a portion of an accordion embodying a preferred form of my invention, certain parts being broken away in order to illustrate certain mechanism.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the main body part of the accordion, taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1. with a portion of the keyboard and portions of the wind cells broken away.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the wind cell chamber in the main body part, looking from the bottom of Figure 2; the wind cells having been omitted in order to illusi rate the apertures communicating with the wind cells.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of a bank of wind cells, a certain portion being broken away in order to show a valve slide mounted therein. v

Figure 5 a plan view of the valve slide shown mounted in the bank of wind cells in Figure 4, and

Figure 6 an enlarged end view of the bank of wind cells shown in Figure 4.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, the instrument consists of a main body part 10, a secondary body part 11, and a bellows 1'2 connecting body parts 11 and 12. Main body part is provided with a;piano type keyboard havi whitc keys 13 and black keys 14wbilepart 1 1 is provided with a plurality of small keys ;15. A plurality of wind cellsifi are; arranged in rows in body part 10 and areeach provided with two reeds 17 disposed over aper tures 18 formed in the side of the wind cell. One end of one reed is secured to the outside of the wind cell wall immcdiately aliove one aperture 18 and the other reed iss'ec ured t0 the-inside of the wind cell wallabove the other aperture 18. The depending-portions of each reed 17 conforms in shape and size to aperture 18 and is adapted to vibrate therein. Immediately opposite each end 17, a piece of leather 19 is secured ,to the wind'cell wall and is of sutlicient size to, cover aperture 18 and prevent air from passing heretl rough from the side on whiclrthe heat, or is placed. lVhen air is forced into atwind cell Iii through an apertureQO formed in its'top, the leather 19 on the inside of, tlie, cell will prevent the air from escaping tliroughiits aperture 18 while the one on the outside will blow, away from its aperture andlallow th'eair to escape thcrethrough and,. /"ibrate the reed. -VVhen air passes through thecell in theopposite direction, the leather 19 on the outside of the-cell will close its aperture 18' while the leather on the inside of the cell will allow its reedto vibrate. Y

Wind cells 16 arearranged in pairs'auda valve 21 is adapted to open and close both apertures 20 leading therefrom. Valves 21 are secured to their respective keys by means of rods 22 as shown in Figure :2. Keys 13 and 11 are hinged on a rod 23 and normally held in their upper position by means of a bent spring 2=l so that, in order to depress the key and raise valve 21 away from apertures it), .it is necessary to compress sprin 24.

In the accompanying drawings, the instrument is shown as having four double rows of banks or wind cells, the first and third banks having a row of round apertures 20 and a row of square apertures 20 while the second and fourth banks of wind cells are provided entirely with round apertures. Extending bellows 1:2 will cause air to rush into the instrument through a perforated plate 25 which covers the valves 21 and the tops of the wind cells. l-Vith' the exception of the manner of hinging keys 13 and 14, the above brief description covers a conventional type of accordion and. as its parts and mode of opera tion are well known, it will not'be described further than is necessary for a thorough understanding gof hiy invention.

The'top of each bank of wind'cells 16 is preferably composed'of a single plate 26 provided with apertures whichcommunicate with the interior of the wind cells. In carrying my 27 longitudinally in plate 26 and insert therein a. valve slide 28 which he's-apertures cor responding to the aperturesfit)? in plate 26. spaces 29 between each"-'two which is more-than I equal the. width" of an aperture. It is-evident jt-hat by moving awe slide- 28 until the apertures therein. are in 'alignnient"witlifapertuijes 20?, u-lljth wind cells in, this bank may function-in 'a normal manner 'wlii' le if valve slide '28' is moved longiuanaally of pla-te -26 until the holes therein are t t:;1.lly out'of registry with holes 20 i only one row of eells in this bank may amt-1011x135 'eutti'ng' olf one-row of cells in certain lianks, pleasing tonal l effects areprodu'cedi i order that the several valve slides 28 may be moved in uniso I provide a shaft 30 journ aled in bearings 31 secured one end of body part 10 and ha'ying' arms '32 fixed therein and engaging'holcs 33in the ends of valve "slides 28. "I'n the drawin s,j I have shown the instrument asiprovided with two Valve slides 28; but it' will be readily 'under- I that an instrument-"may" be provided with any number; An 'arm 34 'has'one en'd rigidly connected to "shaft 30 and its other end pivotally connected in one end of a'connecting rod 35: Thefother end of connecting rod 35 is'pivotally connected to a'pin fixed in a. pinion 36 between itscenter and periphery, so that as pinion 36 rotates, connecting rod 35 will be reciprocated'and consequently reciprocate arms 32 and valve slides 28.

In order to rotate pinion 36, I provide a gear 37 rotatably mounted adjacent pinion 3G and meshing therewith. Four pins 38 extend from one face of gear 37 at equal intervals intermediate the center and its periphery. Aplunger 39 is slidably mounted in a bearing 40, secured to the end of body part 10, and terminates in a button 41 adapted to be pressed by the operator for actuating valve slides 28. Plunger 39 is normally held in its outermost position by a. spring 42, having its ends secured to the plunger and body part 10, and a plunger head 43 is pivotally mounted on its other end and guided through a bracket 4 fixed to body part 10. Plunger head 43 is provided with a projection 45 adapted'to engage a pin 38 when button 41 is pressed inwardly and cause gear 37 to rotate one quarter turn, at which time another pin 38 will come in contact with a second pro]eetion 4-6 and preventgear 37 from rotating more than one quarter turn.

The movement of plunger 39 in either direction is further regulated by apin 47 exinvent-ion into effect, I form aslot' tending through a slot 48 formed in bearing 40' andapawl :49, pressed by aspring 50, engages-the teeth of'gear 37 and prevents same from rotating in the wrong direction. In order -t0 the turning of gear 37 a full qiia-rter'turii, Ip'rovide a spring 51 held imengagement with the two upper pins 38 by being connected to a pin 52 and abutting a stop 53, as plainly shown in Figure 1. If but-- ton 41 is pressed inwardly for less than its ful'h'stroke, =p=rw1 49 will prevent gear 37 may -turning in the op-positegdireetion while 231' "will" 1 bear againstpins 38 and cause the gear to turn to its correct-positi'on. 'Fronrtheforegoing it will be'evident that depressing button 41 will'move valve slides 28soas' -to'elose ppening's 20; by piessin'g b1itt0n' 4la second time, gear 37 'Wi' li be-rc ta'ted a qua-rterturn and valve slide-28 will be"mo'ved "to uncover openings 20, and that subsequent movements of button il willalten nately cover -a.nd uncover these apertures. In this manner the-player of the-instrument merely presses button' t'l t'o-obtain a change in tonal effect and -does not have. to remember whether to more the-operating lever in :one direction or t-heotherhutme-rely presses the button in the same'di re ction each time. It will'be further noted'tha-t, with the exception of button e1, the operating mechanism-isentire'ly' concea-led, that ,itin no wa interferes with the working parts ofthe accordiomand that itis sosiinpli d'eSignedas not 'to be'liable to getoiit'of '-or er. I? Further, an accordion made in. accordance with my invention'jh'as enabled'the player to produce tonaletfects heretofore unob-tainable." In a'conrentional accordion having a piano keyboard,"each key is usually hinged ata point under the inner end of the visible part of the key and, when the instrument is being played in sharps and fiatsg' the p'laycrs fingers come so close to the pivotal point. that considerable pressure is required to depress the keys. To overcome this feature, I form a key chamber at one side of thowind cell chamber, which is separated therefrom by an angular partition 5-1:, and secure rod 23, to which the keys are hinged, nca r the inner end of this chambe This arran --ment allows the keys to be easily depressed even when the players tingeis are close to the back of the keyboard. 2

\Vhile I have described my invent-ion as taking a particular form, it will be understood that modifications may be made with out departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an accordion having rows of wind cells, openings in the wind cells. valves to? Ill.-

, yieldingly holdin th closing-the op'eHiQgS and val-veslides adapted to, close certain,- ct the openings independ utlyie the. va ves? means for actuatingith value-slides including'a geana ,pinio m esh Y hstlw-geaa' a-c'onnecting rod 'eccen'tr-i: cally connected -.-to-.th.epinion, a shaft .me-j ohanically. connected; toethe connecting mod and to the valve slides and aneansior rota; g-the gea 2. In an accordion ha 'ing rows of wind cells, openings in the wind cells, valves for closing the openings and valve slides adapted to close certain of the 0penings-independ ently of the valves; means for actuating the valve slides including a gear, a pinion meshing with the gear, a connecting rod eccentrically connected to the pinion, a shaft mechanically connected to the connecting rod and to the valve slides, means for rotating the gear, and means for holding the gear against rotation in-one direction.

3. In an accordion having rows of wind cells, openings in the wind cells, valves for closing the openings and valve slides adapted to close certain of the openings independently of the valves; means for actuating the valve slides including a gear, a pinion meshing with the gear, a connecting rod eccentric-ally connected to the pinion, a. shaft mechanically connected to the connecting rod and to the valve slides, means for causing the gear to make a partial revolution, and means for such partial revolution.

4. In an accordion having rows of wind cells, openings in the wind cells, valves for closing the openings and valve slides adapted to close certain of the openings independently of-the valves; means for actuating the valve slides including a gear, a pinion meshing with the gear, a connecting rod cccentrically connected to the piston, a shaft mechanically connected to the connecting rod and to the valve slides, means for causing the gear to make a partial revolution, and means for stopping and lmldiug the gear at predetermined points in a complete revolution.

5. In an accordion having rows of wind cells, openings in the wind cells, valves for ciosing the openings and valve slides adapted to close certain of the openings independently of the valves; means for a tuating the valve slides including a gear, a pinion meshing with the gear, a connecting rod eccentricall connected to the pinion, a shaftmechanically connected to the connecting rod and to the valve slides, pins fixed in the gear, and a plunger anapted to engage the pins and cause the gear to make a partial revolution.

(3. In an accordion having rows of wind cells, openings in the wind cells, valves for closing the openings and valve slides adapted to close certain of the openings independently of the valves; means for actuating the valve slides including a gear, a pinion meshing gear at the end of with the gean-raz-conrrecting rod eccentrieally connected to tliespinion, ia shaft-mechanically c nnected loathe. iconaiectingv lbdiglnd to the valve slides,.- pins fixed in; the; gear, a plunger adapted to engage the pins and cause the gear to m kea partial revolution and h bearingforholding thei'plllngerii-n alignmentai;.-;- Y E'L-lnmin accordion. havingirowsi ofwind cells,, openings the zwindi zcells valves ;for closing the openings and valve slides adapted to close certain of the openings independently of the valves; means for actuating the valve slides including a gear, a pinion meshing with the gear, a connecting rod eocentrically connected to the pinion, a shaft mechanically connected to the connecting rod and to the valve slides, pins fixed in the gear, a plunger adapted to engage the pins and cause the gear to make a partial revolution, a bearing for holding the plunger in alignment, and a stop on the plunger adapted to engage the bearing for limiting the movement of the plunger.

8. In an accordion having rows of wind cells, openings in the wind cells, valves for closing the openings and valve slides adapted to close certain of the openings independently of the valves; means for actuating the valve slides including a gear, a pinion meshing with the gear, a connecting rod eccentrically connected to the pinion, a shaft mechanically connected to the connecting rod and to the valve slides, pins fixed in the gear, a. plunger head adapted to engage the pins and cause the gear to make a partial revolution, and a plunger hinged to the plunger head.

9. In an accordion having rows of wind cells, openings in the wind cells, valves for closing the openings and valve slides adapted to close certain of the openings independent- 1y of the valves; means for actuating the valve slides including a gear, a pinion meshing with the gear, a connecting rod eccentrically connected to the pinion, a shaft mechanically connected to the connecting rod and to the valve slides, pins fixed in the gen r, a plunger head adapted to engage the pins and cause the gear to make a partial revolution, a plunger hinged to the plunger head, a hearing for holding the plunger in alignment \vith'tlie gear, and a spring for moving the plunger away from the gear.

10. In an accordion having a piano keyboard, a body part, wind cells in the body part, and valves for closing the wind cells; keys on the keyboard connected to the valves and hinged to the body part at a point substantially beyond the plane of the valves.

11. In an accordion having a. piano keyboard, a body part, a wind chamber in the body part, wind cells in the wind chamber having an airpassage in the end of each, and valves for closing the air passages; a partition separating a key chamber from the wind chamber and having its outer edge in the pl ane'of the air passages, keys on the keyboard connected to the valves and extending into the key chamber, and means for hinging the keys near the inner end of the key chamber.

12. In an accordion having a piano keyboard, a. body part, wind cells in the body part, and valves for closing the Wind cells, means for opening. and closing the vah es ineluding keys mounted in the keyboard and extending through the plane of the valves and hinged in the body part at a point substantially beyond the plane of the valx'es, and rods secured to the valves and to the keys intermediate their ends.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANK NARDONE. 

